Static (Virgil Hawkins)
Work-in-progress =Background= Young Virgil Born to Robert and Jean Hawkins, Virgil was their second child; they already had a daughter named Sharon. Robert was an avid community activist, director of the local Community Center, and devoted father. His mother, Dr. Jean Hawkins, was no less devoted despite her demanding career as a Field Doctor. Considering his environment and heritage, Virgil had a hefty advantage over most Harlem kids with both parents and a stable home, so his formative years were largely spent with minimal worries other than how to next torture his big sister. It was his duty as the youngest to do so and he did it well. In fact, the only other thing he seemed to do that well in, were the sciences. The 'real world' interrupted his happy life throughout elementary school, however. All too quickly, he discovered bullies, but it wasn't all bad, young Virgil made his share of friends as well. Even if a good number of future bangers thought he had the proverbial silver spoon, and introduced him to the interior of many lockers and trash cans for it, Virgil managed to keep his cool, and let it slide. All told, he had a good life, a happy family, and solid friends to help him through the rough spots. None of that, however, could prepare him for the tragedy that would strike home not long after his ninth birthday. Loss of a Heroine The tension between the Suicide Slums gangs finally reached the boiling point, and spilled into the streets with a fury. Rioting, shootouts, fires, and all shades of chaos erupted, enveloping the slums in anarchy, despite the best efforts of authorities and emergency services. Dozens lost their lives in the riots, but the only one that mattered to Virgil was the murder of his mother, Jean. A single stray bullet during her duties, and the Hawkins family was devastated, their foundations shaken. Seeing how his remaining family took the news, Virgil did his best to be strong, silently laying blame where he could. Only the persistent intervention of Robert and Sharon kept Virgil on track, and out of the cycle of violence. Time passed and Virgil grew up and out of his young, impressionable years. Finally he tackled the horrible halls of High School, where he excelled in the fields of math and science. He met his soon to be best friend on the first day of classes, when he was partnered up with Frieda Goren in biology. Unfortunately the universe balances, and he also met the banger that would become his nemesis, Francis, aka 'F-Stop'. In his first show of intestinal fortitude, Virgil stepped between Frieda and F-Stop's unwanted advances despite knowing the older teen's reputation and gang affiliation. He recieved a vicious beating for the courageous act, the first of many over the next couple of years. It also cemented his friendship with Frieda, so Virgil considered it a victory in his own mind. The Big Bang A repeat of that day a year later would direct Virgil to what some might call destiny. Once more defending Frieda, F-Stop was about to beat on him yet again, but Virgil's courage over the months had drawn the attention of another gang leader and sometime friend, who stepped in and drove F-Stop and his crew off. Swelling with gratitude, Virgil didn't think about the consequences when he was told 'it ends tonight', and agreed to meet with the gangstas at the docks that night at what was already being called the 'Big Bang'. Under cover of night, Virgil snuck out for the first time, not realizing what was waiting for him. At the docks, dozens of gangs had arrived, and six years of mourning and suffering came flooding back to Virgil's mind when his 'friend' put a nine millimeter in his hands. Mortified, Virgil froze as the gang war erupted, and only through sheer force of will did he throw the weapon into the river and bolt while nearly five hundred gang members fought for reasons he didn't care to know. What he might have -wanted- to know, however, was the hundreds of NYPD closing on the area, with a new tear gas bearing a harmless radioactive isotope to help them track down the gangs, even days later. Virgil wasn't fast enough, however, and -nobody- knew that the new tear gas would have the effect it did. Within moments of the first barrage of gas grenades, gang members started hitting the floor, gagging, choking, bleeding... ...and mutating. Thanks to his chicken reflex, Virgil didn't inhale as much of the gas as he could have, and managed to barely make it home and to his bed. Over the next several hours, nearly ninety percent of the bangers present at the Big Bang were dead, while the rest began developing potent (and in many cases dangerous) mutations. Virgil would be no exception. New Harlem Rennaisance The next morning, Virgil woke up remarkably refreshed and energized, and ready to enjoy his weekend. It didn't take long for the fifteen year-old to realize something was off. The Big Bang had changed him, giving him the ability to generate and control electromagnetic fields. Before anyone could say 'secret identity', he'd unveiled the story over the phone to his closest friend, Frieda. With her prompting, and his own comic book obsessions, Virgil decided to put his new power to work as one of the good guys, but he needed an identity, an image for the 'bad guys' to recognize. Within a couple of weeks, Static was born. Since then, the young hero has struggled to find a balance between the increasingly visible Static, and his mundane life as Virgil Hawkins. It's been a time of discovery for sure, from the bombed-out gas station he now calls his headquarters, to his knack for invention which has resulted in specialized tracers and collapsable saucer, amongst other minor aids. With Frieda's sympathetic ear, the memory of his mother, and his own moral compass, Virgil's ready to step up and protect his neighborhood, and put a stop to power-abusing 'bang-babies'. As soon as his homework's finished. =Logs= 2010-01-15 - Fanboy Powers, Activate! - Another night, another patrol until some unexpected visitors arrive. 2010-01-15 - And the Assist goes to... - A routine takedown, unroutine new friends. 2010-01-16 - Brick in the Wall - Unexpected tag-team action in Harlem 2010-01-21 - Gotham visits the Big Apple - More superpowered Mayhem in Harlem! 2010-01-23 - Harlem Heroes Month Continues - Virgil meets Storm at a Jazz club on teen night. Category:Characters Category:Features Category:Hero Category:Taken